The First Free Update to The Division Coming April 12th

You haven’t sold or given away your copy of The Division yet, have you? No? Good, especially since the first planned update will be released as of April 12, 2016 and its free! This new update will introduce several updates to the game as well as a taste of some actual end game content in the form of a new instance. Oddly enough this update comes on the very same day as the Destiny update… oh, I see what you did there Ubisoft.

And yes! There will finally be a way to share loot, should have been in the game from the start but at least it’s coming now.

The first of two free expansions for The Division, titled Incursions, has been confirmed for arrival on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on April 12. Revealed in depth during today’s community livestream, Incursions adds a new endgame activity specifically designed for squad play, and rewards teams that come out victorious with high-level loot. Incursions also brings a loot-trading feature, letting you swap items with your squadmates.

The first Incursion, titled Falcon Lost, is set in a completely new, underground water-treatment facility that’s been turned into a stronghold for the Last Man Battalion. The Incursions update also includes the following changes and additions:

• New gear is a vital centerpiece of Incursions, which introduces four rare gear sets: Sentry’s Call, Striker’s Battle Gear, Path of the Nomad, and Technician’s Authority. Each set is meant to bolster a specific play style; Sentry’s Call promotes consistent precision, Striker’s Battle Gear is for assault-focused players, and so on. Finding and equipping four pieces from a single set unlocks a new, never-before-seen talent for your Agent, which the developers aren’t revealing yet.• Agent level is still capped at 30, but your gear score can boost your abilities beyond your level, and are touted as a new way of leveling up for top-level players.

• Loot trading is now possible; if you get good loot, you can now drop it on the ground and make it available to other players. In the Dark Zone, you can only drop loot inside the Dark Zone gate.

• Assignments are new tasks – killing 10 Cleaners, for example – that are meant as brief, optional side goals that update daily and can earn you Phoenix Credits, Division tech, and other rewards.

• Supply drops will periodically fall from the sky in the Dark Zone, giving you and other groups something to battle over. They’re also protected by tough enemies, but the loot doesn’t need to be extracted, as it’s uncontaminated, and can’t be stolen once acquired.

• When your Agent dies, you can now camera-follow your teammates, seeing what they see and offering tactical support.

• Falcon Lost has two difficulties: Hard mode, which is recommended for players whose gear score is equivalent to level 31; and challenge mode, which is even tougher. Also, there aren’t any checkpoints in Falcon Lost; if your team goes down, you’ll have to restart from the beginning. Additionally, you can replay Falcon Lost and other upcoming Incursions as many times as you want and still be rewarded with new loot.

• Enemies can now employ drones, aerial enemies that will be tricky to hit. You’ll also be pitted against an armored personnel carrier, which acts as a boss and is impervious to bullets, forcing you to find another way to deal with it.

Incursions will later be followed by another free update, Conflict, which adds a special incursion into New York’s Columbus Circle, as well as new Dark Zone features. Additionally, three paid DLC expansions are planned throughout the year – Underground, Survival, and Last Stand – which introduce new areas and threats to The Division’s open-world New York. Xbox One players will have 30-day exclusive early access to Underground and Survival, although Incursions, Conflict, and Last Stand will debut on all platforms simultaneously.

About The Author

Keith Mitchell is the Founder and Editor in Chief of The Outerhaven. A grizzled IT professional during the day, but a passionate lover of video games after his 9-5 grid. Loves playing the Dark Souls series and has been gaming since he was 6 years old. You can find him on Twitter as @Shadowhaxor or you can email her at keith.mitchell@theouterhaven.net.